1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly, relates to a connector, which electrically connects a thin sheet connection target, such as a FPC (flexible printed circuit, also known as flexible PWB (printed wiring board)) or a FFC (flexible flat cable).
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 14 shows an example of a connector according to the related art, which is capable of connecting a thin sheet connection target such as FPC or FFC, and in which contacts of the connector come in contact with the connection target when an actuator is turned down to extend in a direction opposite to a removal direction of the connection target.
The connector is provided with an insulator into which the connection target is removably insertable, a plurality of metal contacts arranged and fixed on the insulator, and a tabular-shaped actuator made of synthetic resin rotatably supported by the insulator. Each of the contacts is provided with a fixed contact portion elongating substantially parallel to an inserting direction of the connection target, and a movable contact portion which is capable of swinging (rotating) relative to the fixed contact portion about an intermediate portion of the contact. The connection target can be inserted into and removed from a space between the fixed contact portions and the movable contact portions at a common (front) end of the contacts (the left end of FIGS. 14A and 14B). The other (rear) end (the right end of FIGS. 14A and 14B) of the movable contact portion is provided with an engagement protrusion, and the other (rear) end (also the right end of FIGS. 14A and 14B) of the fixed contact portion is provided with a stopper protrusion. A cam portion is formed at an end of the actuator, positioned between the fixed contact portions and the movable contact portions at a common other (rear) end of the contacts (the right end of FIGS. 14A and 14B). The actuator has a plurality of through-holes in the vicinity of the cam portion, formed in the same arranging direction as that of the contacts.
As illustrated in FIG. 14A, when the actuator is at an “unlocked position”, that is substantially an upright position with respect to the longitudinal direction of the contacts, each of the rear ends of the movable contact portions of the contact extends through the corresponding through-holes of the actuator, and the cam portion of the actuator is positioned away from the movable contact portions.
On the other hand, FIG. 14B shows a state in which the connection target has been inserted into the space between each of the front ends of the fixed contact portions and each of the front ends of the movable contact portions of the connectors. In such a state, when the actuator is rotated (turned down) towards the position opposite to the removal direction of the connection target (“locked position”), the cam portion presses the rear ends of the movable contact portions in the direction away from the fixed contact portions, whereby the front ends of the movable contact portions move closer to the fixed contact portions so that the movable contacts come in contact with the connection target. At the same time, the engagement protrusions of the movable contact portions and the stopper protrusions of the fixed contact portions fit into the through-holes of the actuator, whereby these protrusions engage with the cam portion. Accordingly, the cam portion is prevented from coming out (falling out) from between the fixed contact portions and the movable contact portions at the rear side of the contacts (the right side of FIG. 14B).
Another example of a connector of the related art is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-31561.
In this type of connector there has been a strong demand for low-profiling (reducing the height down to less than 1 mm) and increasing the density (i.e., the number of contacts) of the connector (the insulator), and the actuator, constituting a part of the connector, needs to be formed in the thinnest shape possible. The cam portion, made of synthetic resin and transmitting the operating force of the actuator to the movable contact portions, also needs to become thinner (i.e., smaller in the vertical direction with respect to FIG. 14A) and to have a lower profile (i.e., smaller in the vertical direction of FIG. 14B) to cope with such a demand for low-profiling.
However, when the cam portion is downsized (miniaturized) in the above-described manner, the cam portion needs to be prevented from coming out (falling out) at the locked position and at the unlocked position, as well as during the rotation operation of the cam portion (actuator). For that purpose, according to the related art, the through-holes have been formed in the actuator into which the movable contact portions are allowed to extend, and the engagement protrusions and the stopper protrusions have been formed substantially at the same positions as viewed in the inserting direction of the connection target. Since the distance between the engagement protrusions and the stopper protrusions is smaller than the corresponding width of the cam portion, the actuator (cam portion) is prevented from coming off in the inserting/removal direction.
On the other hand, according to the related art, the cam portion of the actuator is assembled into the contacts by inserting the cam portion into the space between the stopper protrusions and the engagement protrusions with the actuator angled at the unlocked position and by the cam portion overriding the engagement protrusions. Thus, the stopper protrusions are formed in a narrow taper (become narrower in the horizontal direction of FIG. 14). However, during locking operation of the actuator during assembly, etc., if a worker mistakenly rotates the actuator about the cam portion from the unlocked position toward the locked position while pressing the actuator in the removal direction of the connection target, the cam portion would override the small-sized stopper protrusions, and eventually come out of the taper-shaped space between the rear ends of the fixed contact portions and of the movable contact portions (toward the right side of FIG. 14), which would result in the actuator coming off the insulator.